In Brightest Day and Blackest Night
by P.J. Lowry
Summary: Destiny comes knocking on John Diggle's door. Much like the amazing people he works for, Diggle is not afraid to step up when his name is called.


John Diggle had long accepted his role as back up. He wasn't the guy in the hood flinging arrows at Starling City's most wanted nor was he the speedster that was bolting around Central City. He was just a regular guy. He learned a long time ago in Afghanistan that tactical support was just as vital to the success of any mission. Digs knew his role and he did it well.

Yet this evening as John sat alone in his living room, looking out the window, His fiancé and little girl were fast asleep, he wondered if this was the most he would ever do. Digs was never the kind of man to accept his limitations but the presence of the Flash and other meta-humans was slowly starting to change that. These changes made John felt smaller and even weaker than ever before. He worried about his own safety and that of his new family. Yet it was on this night, while John was relaxing with a cold beer that everything changed. John's place in the world was never going to be the same.

The cell phone buzzed in John's pocket. He took a look to see who it was. It was Oliver Queen. Any call at this time of night only meant one thing; it was time to get back to work. He pressed the button and opened the line. "What's going on, Oliver?"

"We got a lead that needs following up on." Oliver replied.

"All right." John said as he stood up, "I'm on my…"

Just then glass shattered all around him as a bright light shone into the room. The light shone into his face so brightly that John dropped his beer and the cell phone to cover his eyes. The light was almost like the sun but the biggest difference was it was all around him, encasing him within a circle. The light was hovering around him, slowly surrounding him like a hand that was reaching in and plucking him out of the living room.

And that's exactly what it did as John was sucked out of the living room through the window and outside. To his surprise, John wasn't falling to his death as the light was carrying him away. The speed of the light started to increase. John began to bounce around in the light as if it was a bubble, carrying him off to some far off distant place. Turns out the light only went as far as the Coast.

Just like his arrival, John came crashing through the window and rolled into the floor with a rather harsh thud. When the light finally died down and he was able to see again, it didn't take John very long to realize he was in someone else's house. He slowly got back to his feet and took a few seconds to adjust to his new surroundings. There was a man standing on the other end of the room.

John took two steps back. "Where the hell am I?"

The man on the other end of the room raised his hands to signal that he wasn't a threat. "Don't get all bent out of shape. I'm not going to hurt you."

"I said where am I?" John asked again, his patience thinning.

"Relax man," The guy said, hands still up. "You're in Coast City."

"Coast City?" John repeated as he did the math in his head. "But that's over five hundred miles. How did I cover that much time in what was only minutes?"

"You'll get used to it." The man replied, "It takes time to make the adjustment."

Diggle didn't like the direction this conversation was taking but he needed more intel. "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm sorry about that," The man said as he extended his hand. "Hal Jordan."

"John Diggle." John said as he took the man's hand and shook it. "Care to tell me what I'm doing here, Mr. Jordan?"

Hal raised a hand upon hearing the formal lingo. "Please call me Hal."

"What am I doing here… Hal?" John asked again.

"You're here because you were chosen." Hal answered.

"Chosen for what?" John asked.

"A higher calling." Hal answered.

"Who died and made you god?" John inquired as he was slightly confused.

"Oh, this wasn't my choice." Hal said as he pointed down at the coffee table. "You were chosen by the ring."

John looked down at the coffee table and saw the ring he was referring to. It looked about the size of a ring someone might get for winning the Superbowl but it was all green. The substance was almost glowing as well. Diggle had never seen anything like it before. "How can I be chosen by a ring?"

"It's not just a ring." Hal said as he reached behind the couch and pulled out the lantern. "It's a conduit to let you access the power of this lantern."

John looked at the green lantern set before him and then back up at Jordan. "Are you serious? Is this some kind of practical joke?"

Hal could see how Digs could think it was a gag, so he decided to show him a little proof. He pointed his own ring at the lantern. Another green light came from the lantern and went into Hal's green ring, charging it with more power. Then without warning there was another bright flash of green light. When Diggle was able to see again, Hal's clothing had change. He was no longer wearing jeans and a shit but was in what looked like a full body suit of black and green. There was also a green mask on his face, which very much resembled the one Oliver work on his face when he was the Hood.

"What do you think?" Hal said as he did a little twirl. "Pretty snazzy, right?"

"What are you?" Diggle asked as he took a few steps back.

"I'm Hal Jordan." Hal said again as he walked closer. "I am also the first human to ever become a part of the Green Lantern Corps."

"The corp?" Diggle repeated.

"Yes." Hal confirmed, "There are thousands of creatures like myself from all over the universe. Chosen to defend their home territories from the evils that mean to do us all harm."

"And I've been chosen?" Diggle said as he remember being told that earlier.

"Yes, you have." Hal said as he again gestured to the ring. "This ring has picked you to be the second defender of this solar system."

"Why did this ring pick me?" John said as he took a step closer to it.

"The ring saw something in you." Hal replied, "It looks into everyone's soul and can see what really makes us all tick. Based on that, the ring has chosen you to be Earth's defender."

"What about you?" Diggle asked, "Are you retiring or something?"

"No, no." Hal said as he chuckled a bit. "I'm not going anywhere. We are expanding due to a heavy work load. I could use the help and the company."

"So what am I supposed to do?" John asked.

"Put the ring on, point it at the lantern and speak the oath." Hal answered.

"What oath?"

"You'll get it." Hal answered with a smile. "The ring will help."

John stood there for what seemed like a long time but was only mere minutes in the room. He looked down at the green ring and all he could think about was Oliver and Barry. Two men who were heroes only for one reason and one reason alone: they never backed down when destiny called for them. They both took to the stage when their name was called. Digs was looking at the ring and he knew what was going on. It was his turn… his name was being called. He also thought about his fiancé and his little girl as well as Oliver and Felicity. The entire universe included them as well. He knew what they would do and it suddenly became an easy decision.

John picked the ring up off the table and put it onto his left index finger. He stood there looking at the ring, waiting for something to happen. He then remembered what Hal had told him; point it at the lantern and then speak the oath.

John turned towards the lantern and pointed the ring at it. He was just about to say something snarky to Hal when the beam came out of the lantern struck John's ring. Before he knew it, there were words coming out of his mouth as he began to recite the oath as if he had practised it several hundred times. **"In brightest day… in blackest night … no evil shall escape my sight … let those who worship evil's might … beware my power… Green Lantern's Light!" **


End file.
